MINNEAPOLIS (NNPA) -When the economic downturngrew steadily cold two yearsago, newspapers across thecountry began shutting theirdoors – permanently. It couldhave been a travesty for Black-owned newspapers, butsentiments from African-American publishers andexecutives are that it’s hard tomiss what one never had.

Therefore, in interviews atthe National NewspaperPublishers Association’s annualsummer conference inMinneapolis June 24-28,publishers told their creativity inmaking ends meet.

“The downsizing of theeconomy didn’t affect us asmuch as some of the largerpapers because we didn’t haveenough staff in the first place,”said John Smith, generalmanager of the ChicagoCrusader. “We were affected

because our advertising revenuewas down a bit but we did notfeel it as much as daily papers.So other than a little less revenueit was business as usual.”

Black newspaper publishersare competing for the samescarce advertising dollars astheir white counterparts. Yet,they have remained resilientdespite a deep recession. Still,the Black press has lost seriousrevenue, too.

Some NNPA publishers saidtheir newspapers have lost asmuch as 40 percent ofadvertising dollars. The NationalNewspapers of America reportsthat the total drop in all adrevenue in the third quarter of2008 was half of that number atjust below 20 percent.

James Belt, advertisingmanager of the Dallas Examiner,said that everybody is hurtingbut the first advertising that getscut back is typically the AfricanAmerican press. Like manynewspapers across the countryhe had to cut back and downsizeon things they have historicallydone.

‘’We just hang on as long aswe can,’’ he said. ‘’If you don’thave the ads, you don’t print thepages. You just don’t print whatyou don’t have.’’

Chris B. Bennett, co-publisher of the Seattle MediumNewspaper Group, which ownsfour newspapers and four radiostations, keeps a positive outlookabout working through theeconomic slump.

‘’It’s been some difficulttimes but it’s not a place that weas Black publishers haven’t beenbefore,” he said.

“Typically, when theeconomy is bad, business is goodfor publishers becauseadvertisers spend money tryingto get customers back into theirstores,” Bennett said. “But thistime, that hasn’t been the casebecause everybody has beentrying to hang on to their pursestrings.

“Therefore, Black publishershave resorted to creativeadvertising packages for some oftheir local community-based

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Magic Johnson to keynote MBDA’SNational MinorityEnterpriseDevelopment (MED)Week Conference

11PAGE

Brett Favre signs with VikingsDeal worth $25 million for 2 seasons.

PRESORTEDSTANDARDU.S. POSTAGE PAIDMINNEAPOLIS MNPERMIT NO. 32468

The rain didn't stop over 2,000North Minneapolis residentsfrom coming out to enjoyFamily Day 2009: Celebratingthe Dream, the 20th AnnualEvent sponsored by theMinneapolis Urban League, onSaturday, August 15. FamilyDay was held at NorthCommons Park and provided afull day of entertainment,activities, and empowerment forthe whole family. The festivitieswere kicked off by a lively 23-unit parade down Golden ValleyRoad that featured drum lines,dancers, clowns, marchingbands, and more.

"I was extremely pleasedwith the work provided by theMUL staff and our vendorpartners and sponsors to makethis Family Day an exciting andinformational day for all of ourfamilies," said Scott Gray,President &CEO of theMinneapolis Urban League."We look forward to an evenbigger and better event nextyear without the rain."

After 20 years, this eventhas gotten better and better.This was the perfect venue fordisplaying talent, informationsharing, fun, and great food,Gray said.

Twin Cities residentsshowcased their talent on

The Grammy award-winninggroup Sounds of Blackness is backand stronger than ever with "The3rd Gift: Story, Song & Spirit," setfor release August 25, 2009.

"This life-changing CD hasdeeply profound music for theentire world," said musicaldirector Gary Hines. "Thesemessages of peace, love and hopefor all become even more poignantduring these troubled times."

"The 3rd Gift" features theamazing inspirational musicalspectrum Sounds of Blackness has

Gary Hines’ masterwork, Sounds of Blackness,celebrates legacy in 3rd Gift

8PAGE

7PAGE

AARP offers freehealth screeningsand health education

MMUULL FFaammiillyy DDaayy rreefflleeccttss vviittaalliittyy,, rreessiilliieennccee

6PAGE

School’sin Session Soon, getready

5PAGE

Cathy Hughes:The TV One Interview

Gary Hines and his mother,legendary and celebrated jazz

singer, Doris Hines.

3MUL TURN TO

The Black Press of America -

Keeping a positive outlook whileworking through economic slump

To some, news about "Cricket ona field in Minneapolis," conjuresup images of an invasion ofchirping insects. But to others,such news brings to mind a muchloved sport with dedicated fansfrom Australia to Zimbabwe. Overthe upcoming Labor Day weekenda long-standing cricket traditionwill once again play out inMinneapolis.

From September 4 through 6,the Minnesota InternationalCricket Club (MICC) and theCavaliers Cricket Club will hostthe 2009 USA CricketInvitational. Ten teams fromWinnipeg, New York, Milwaukeeand Minnesota will vie for thetrophy at Bryn Mawr Park. Itcontinues a decades-old traditionof Minnesota cricketers in

tournaments during summerholiday weekends.

While the existence of cricketclubs in Minnesota may be asurprise to some, the sport has

Cricket: more than just a sticky wicket

Charles PetersonAction on the cricket field at

Bryn Mawr Park

By Pharoh MartinNNPA National Correspondent

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Courtesy of MULFamily Day 2009: Celebrating the Dream

9PUBLISHERS TURN TO9HINES TURN TO

By Pauline Chandra

3CRICKET TURN TO

4PAGE

HIRE Minnesotasearches for missingpersons at MnDOTwork site

(Photo by Scott A. Schneider/Getty Images)

By Al McFarlane Insight Editor-In-Chief

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experienced slow yet continuousgrowth with waves of immigrantsover the past three decades. BothMICC and the Cavaliers have along and storied history, tracingtheir origins to the early 1970swhen immigrants from severalCaribbean countries gatheredweekly at Lake Nokomis forcommunity and cricket, perhapsto ease the longing for home.

With founding members fromthe MICC and Cavaliers clubs, theMinnesota Cricket Associationwas organized in 1977. Itfunctions as the governing bodyfor cricket in Minnesota. In thedecades to follow, cricket teamsgrew exponentially with highernumbers of immigrants fromIndia, Pakistan, Bangladesh,England, New Zealand and SriLanka. Now the MCA administers22 teams in two divisions.Worldwide, cricket is the secondmost popular sport with socceroccupying the number one spot.

In a tradition beginning withthose dedicated Caribbean

immigrants and continuing today,cricket has been a vehicle fornurturing a diverse range ofimmigrant cultures in Minnesota.While the game is in progress,families become acquainted witheach other over lavish picnicofferings of food from "home."Post game social gatherings thatcan range from a cook-out to arobust round of dominoes arelegendary.

To be sure, cricket is first andforemost a sport with players whohave a singular focus on the game.It is commonly held that a truecricketer is more devoted to hisgame than to his wife. Thepromise of a game can tug acricketer from his bed leavinghousehold chores on hold till thewinter months. Anyone visiting alocal cricket field will finddedicated players with creakyknees who can trace theirinvolvement back to the 70s.

Cricket is an English gamethat made its way around theworld through Britishcolonization of far flung lands.According to George BernardShaw, "The English are not veryspiritual people, so they invented

cricket to give them some idea ofeternity." And indeed, a cricketmatch can seem like it goes on foreternity. Like golf, a "TestMatch," or championship, can goon for several days. Recentchanges have shortened thegames.

In a cricket match, one team isin and the other is out. The teamthat's in has two batsmen at eachend of the carefully groomed, 66foot long, and ten foot widecricket pitch. The team that's outis on the field, much like baseball.A bowler (pitcher) delivers sixconsecutive balls (An Over) to thebatsman who attempts to score byhitting the ball as far away aspossible. Once the "over" is well,over, the fielding team switchesbowlers and bowls to the oppositebatsman.

Scores occur in one throughsix runs. One run is scored whenthe batsman hits it just far enoughfor each man to run one length ofthe pitch. A ball hit to theboundary lines is scored as fourruns and one hit into the standscounts as six runs. There is no foulterritory. After both teams havefielded and batted through the

designated number of innings, theteam with the most runs wins.

Though cricket has beenplayed in the USA for 300 years,it has yet to achieve the status andrecognition enjoyed in thecommonwealth countries. FromIndia to the Caribbean andbeyond, renowned, professional

cricketers are accorded the levelof fame equivalent to baseball andbasketball athletes here. Babiesare named after them. The Queenhas been known to grantknighthood to several cricketers.Some day, that could very well bea Minnesota cricketer.

For more information visit:www.micc-cavaliers.com &www.icc-cricket.com.

Pauline Chandra is a Twin Citiesfreelance writer who previouslyreported on education and arange of subjects for SouthwestNewspapers.

http://insightnews.com Insight News • August 24 - August 30, 2009 • Page 3

Charles Peterson

CricketFrom 1

the Family Day main stage from12 noon to dusk. Praise dancers,singers, spoken word artists,musicians, a yo-yoexhibitionist, and even aventriloquist earned applauseand admiration from neighborsand friends who tune in with aspirit of appreciation andsupport.

Information booths andtables full with literaturedescribing useful resources forMinneapolis residents ringedthe Family Day festival area atNorth Commons Park.Community and resourceexperts provided information onnutrition, childcare resources,family care support services,mortgages and homeownership,dental care services, collegeenrollment, and health andwellness.

Hundreds of kids laughedfreely and joyfully as theybounced in the colorful playdomes, rode the live ponies,shot basketball hoops or playedin 3-on-3 basketball games.

Like all successful

community events, the sharingof good food created a specialcommunion; a sharedappreciation, and sharedcelebration of culture andcommunity. The warmly poppedKettle Corn, the spicy barbecueribs, and the fresh butteredsweet corn on the cob tantalizedand satisfied appetites.

Food vendors provided awide variety of tasty offeringsfor every palate. The MULprovided free food tickets so allcould eat and enjoy. A buddingpartnership with theMinneapolis Farmers Marketsupplied the Urban League withfresh-off-the-farm MinnesotaGrown Corn.

Kevin Gresham, a buddingphotographer, attended FamilyDay with his family. "I reallyenjoyed myself this year," saidGresham. "There was a varietyof bands, lots of food and even alot of free stuff. It was a nicething for the Minneapolis UrbanLeague to do. Families couldjust come and enjoy themselveswithout having to worry aboutspending a whole bunch ofmoney. The people stuck it outeven though they knew it wasgoing to rain."

Although the rain came by 6

pm and the MAXX band did nothave a chance to perform, theattendees were satisfied with thefull day of events and activities.

MUL president Scott Grayalso reported that the UrbanLeague's annual Camp Cultureprogram is underway, withapproximately 25 youth, ages

12-17 on a cultural adventure atCamp Koininia Retreat Centerin Chaska, MN. The purpose ofthe camp is to involve youth inactivities directly tied with thecultural experiences of AfricanAmerican history, so activitieswill include reenactment of theUnderground Railroad

experience, storytelling aroundthe campfire, Africanperforming arts, andcraftsmaking - all interactiveactivities, he said.

Scott said MUL schools arepreparing for the new schoolyear, which begins September 1.He said the Urban League High

School will launch newprogramming providingstudents with a progressiveeducational experience that isfocused on college preparationand the opportunity to explorecareers in digital technologies.

MULFrom 1

Courtesy of MULCourtesy of MUL

Page 4 • August 24 - August 30, 2009 • Insight News http://insightnews.com

I am fascinated by the town hallmeetings that are happening aroundthe country and the ire, real orimagined, that is being heaped onmembers of Congress who aresimply attempting to shareinformation with their constituenciesabout ways our government hopes tohelp 50 million uninsured Americans

get health insurance. There are some Americans who

honestly oppose a government rolein providing health care, some whodishonestly (like Sarah Palin) havetwisted provisions to end up with“death panels” that do not exist butfrighten many people, and some whohave no problem with health care,per se, but have jumped in on thisone as a way of pouncing on aweakness they perceive in theObama Administration.

They don’t dislike health care,they dislike President BarackObama. They see blood in the waterand so, like the sharks they are, theyare going after it. Here’s theevidence – the discussion is shrilland uncivil. It is long on emotionand short on facts.

I hesitate to say that there is aracial element in this oppositionbecause those who oppose nationalhealth insurance were pretty nastywhen the Clintons were attempting

to implement those policies(remember Harry and Louise?).Still, I never thought a debate abouthealth insurance could turn sovituperative, and in sleepy August,too.

While politics is the art ofcompromise, President Obama andhis team should hold the line onhealth insurance. It is an essentialpart of economic recovery adeconomic vitality. How manypeople file bankruptcy because,uninsured, they have encounteredhealth care bills for an unplannedillness?

How many allow small illnessesto become large ones because theycan’t get to a doctor? We know thereare 50 million uninsured adults andchildren. What kind of productivitydrain exists because people don’thave the health insurance they need?

After being battered by theastroturf organizations playing at realopposition, President Obama seemsready to step back and perhapsabandon the idea of givingAmericans the option ofgovernment-run insurance. Thisrepresents capitulation on a keypoint, preserves the so-called freemarket forces that Republicans want,and postpones the reckoning thatmust take place about health care

until a future time when anotherleader (or perhaps this one in asecond term) is able to deal withcomprehensive reform.

On in seven of our GDP dollarsare spent on health care, and it isinexcusable that so many Americansare pushed to the periphery of thesystem. Those of us with jobs thatprovide benefits clearly have the besthealth insurance options, while thosewho are gainfully self-employedhave some options, but pay moredearly for insurance. Those who areseparated from the labor market andthose who work at low wages oftendo not have health insurance, or theysimply can’t afford it. In some cases,premiums will take up to a third of aworker’s paycheck. That’s whenpeople decide to take a chance andpray they won’t get sick.

While the government-runinsurance option is not the centralfact of the Obama plan, it is animportant part of it. There areDemocratic members of Congresswho will not support health carewithout this feature. Why? Becausethe private sector has heretofore beenunwilling to insure the uninsured.Government is stepping in becausethe market hasn’t worked foreveryone. But the free marketadvocates claim that government

intervention isn’t fair to privatecompanies. What? The sameprivate companies that now leavepeople uninsured?

A compromise might be thenotion of government supportedhealth insurance cooperatives. Thistakes a step in the direction of thoseRepublicans who want to preservecompetition. From my perspective,the cooperatives could work, butthey may also have flaws that distortthe outcomes for the poorestAmericans.

Further, a compromise right nowsignals that all people have to do isgo to town meetings, clown andperform like banshees, in order to gettheir way. In discussions that haveshed less light than heat, healthinsurance reform opponents haveclearly signaled their antipathy tothis President, but they have notoffered clear objections to his healthinsurance plan. They have providedthe basis for analysis, but notcapitulation.

Julianne Malveaux is President ofBennett College for Women. Shemay be reached atpresbennett@bennett.edu.

HIRE Minnesota searches for missing persons at MnDOT work site

By Julianne MalveauxNNPA Columnist

INSIGHT NEWS

www.insightnews.com

Insight News is publishedweekly, every Monday byMcFarlane Media Interests.

Editor-In-ChiefAl McFarlane

CFOAdrianne Hamilton-Butler

PublisherBatala-Ra McFarlane

Associate Editor &Associate PublisherB.P. Ford

Vice President of Sales & MarketingSelene White

Director of Content &ProductionPatricia Weaver

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Contact Us:Insight News, Inc.Marcus Garvey House1815 Bryant Ave. N.MinneAPOlis., MN 55411Ph.: (612) 588-1313Fax: (612) 588-2031Member: MinnesotaMulticultural MediaConsortium (MMMC)Midwest Black PublishersCoalition, Inc. (MBPCI)National NewspaperPublishers Association(NNPA)

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They don't dislike health care, they dislike Barack Obama

Last month, HIRE Minnesotadelivered a Missing PersonsReport to the MinnesotaDepartment of Transportation(MnDOT) to remind the agencythat women and people of colorare missing from highwayconstruction sites around ourstate. They are still missing.

A delegation of 20 leadersfrom HIRE Minnesota entered aMinnesota Department ofTransportation highwayconstruction site to search forwomen and people of color.

“I have sent word for thesuperintendent of the site tocome out so we can speak tohim personally,” said LouisKing, co-chair of HIREMinnesota and president andCEO of Summit Academy. “Wewant to ask him, ‘Where are thepeople? Where is therepresentation? And where isthe fair opportunity?’”

When the site superintendent

did not emerge to answer thedelegation’s questions, HIREMinnesota leaders beganinspecting the site forthemselves. They did not findany people of color or womenworking at the job site.

Chaplain Thomas Van Leersaid, “Highway construction isgoing on using federal dollars,but there is no visible change inhiring on federal constructionsites. People are still missing.And we’re still looking for thosewho should be here – and that’swomen and people of color.”

Each year, MnDOT giveshundreds of millions of dollarsof taxpayer money to privatecontractors to build and repairour roads, bridges andtransitways. MnDOT has set itsown goal for 11 percent of itsmetro-area workforce to becomprised of people of color,yet the agency has repeatedlyfailed to meet its own goals. In

fact, in 2007 MnDOT’sworkforce was only 6.9 percentpeople of color. The agencyperformed even worse in 2008,only hiring 6.4 percent people ofcolor. According to the last U.S.Census taken in 2000,Minnesota’s population is nowcomprised of at least 14 percentpeople of color.

HIRE Minnesota is acoalition of more than 70community organization that isseeking public investments thatgrow our economy, provideliving wages and promotehealthy communities. As ourgovernment makes decisionsabout how to spend millions ofdollars of public funds, HIREMinnesota is asking that thoseinvestments create jobs thatbenefit low-incomecommunities and communitiesof color. In addition, HIREMinnesota is demanding thatour government be transparent

and accountable in meeting itsobligations to our communities.

To see a list of organizationsinvolved in HIRE Minnesota,

please visithttp://www.hiremn.org.

Courtesy of HIRE Minnesota

Catherine Elizabeth Woods Hugheswas born in Omaha, NE, where sheattended Creighton University andthe University of Nebraska. Butbefore graduating, she beganworking at KOWH, a local Blackradio station where she handledassorted jobs en route to becomingwell-known in the industry.

After a stint as a lecturer atHoward University’s School ofCommunications in Washington,DC, she became sales director atWHUR-FM in Washington, DC. By1975, she was named the radiostation’s general manager, and fouryears after that, she and her husband,Dewey Hughes, purchased a smallradio station, WOL, thus creatingRadio One.

When the marriage failed,Hughes purchased her husband’s halfof the business, giving up herapartment and sleeping at the stationin order to make ends meet. Overtime, she turned it into a profitableoperation, while going on the airherself to host a talk show whichwould blossom into a hit program.By subsequently purchasing radiostations in other cities, Radio Oneeventually became the nation’slargest Black-owned chain.

In January of 2004, Hugheslaunched TV One, a televisionnetwork targeting African Americansthat offers a broad range of lifestyleand entertainment-orientedprogramming which respects itsaudience’s values and reflects itsintellectual and cultural diversity.Today, the popular media mogul isthe first Black woman in the U.S. tohead a company whose stock[Symbol: ROIA] is publicly-tradedon an exchange.

Here, Hughes talks about hercareer, about TV One which iscelebrating its 5th year anniversary,and about hosting the celebrityinterview show “TV One on One.”

KW: Thanks for the time, Cathy. CH: Thank you.

KW: I know you were born inOmaha, NE, but tell me a little moreabout your childhood and how yougot started in the business. CH: I grew up in the projects. At theage of eight, my mother brought mea transistor radio, and that’s when Ifell in love with radio. I used to lockmyself in the bathroom and thenpretend that my toothbrush was amicrophone and do commercials andthe news every morning before I leftfor school.

KW: When I think of Omaha, Iautomatically think of GabrielleUnion, who is the only other Blackperson from there I’ve everinterviewed. CH: Guess what? Gabrielle’smother, Theresa, and I were bestfriends all through our childhood. Wethought we were blood sisters.Gabrielle’s grandmother was mygodmother, and I lived with theUnion family for a few years becausemy mother, Helen, travelled a lot as amusician. They used to dress us alikeand they sent us to the same schooland we did everything together.

Years later, when Gabrielle firststarted her career, I was veryimpressed with her, but had no ideashe was Theresa’s daughter until theday I got a call from her mothersaying, “I just want to thank you forrecommending Gabrielle for thatmagazine cover.” I asked her, “Howdo you know Gabrielle Union?” Shesaid, “Fool, that’s my daughter.” Iwas like “Get out of here!” because I

hadn’t put two and two together sinceher mother has a different last name,Glass. She still uses that. It’s beenwonderful watching Gabrielle’scareer take off. And even after she gotbig, she’d come to the station andrefer to me as her Aunt Cathy. Butbefore you get to Gabrielle Union,don’t forget that Malcolm X wasborn in Omaha.

KW: That’s right! CH: Also Gayle Sayers, Bob Gibsonand Heisman Trophy-winner JohnnyRodgers. You have to realize thatBlack people are about 20% ofOmaha’s population, and thateverybody knows just abouteverybody else when you’re out inthe country in a farming state likeNebraska.

KW: How did you get your start inradio? CH: I was working for theAffirmative Action arm of the FordFoundation in a program calledProject Equality. I became avolunteer for the group of investorswho got a grant to start Omaha’s firstBlack radio station. That’s really howI got my foot in the door in radio.

KW: Eventually you moved toWashington, DC, and met andmarried Dewey Hughes, and wereco-owner with him of WOL. He wasplayed by Chiwetel Ejiofor in Talk toMe, the bio-pic about radio DJ Petey

Greene. How did you feel about notbeing mentioned in the movie? CH: I knew Petey and did marryDewey, but I wasn’t on the EastCoast during the era that the PeteyGreene story covered. I hadn’t meteither of them yet.

KW: You’re multi-talented, workingboth on the air and as abusinesswoman and the brainsbehind the operation. How do youprimarily see yourself?CH: As an entrepreneur.

KW: Well, today, you’re sitting atopa media empire, so may I saycongratulations on the fifthanniversary of TV OneCH: Thanks.

KW: How would you say yourcompany is different from BET? CH: Well, we’re interested in anentirely different demographic.We’re 30 and over. BET is younger.We have a mandate: no music videos.They’re teen-oriented and have builttheir legacy on music videos. We aremore of a family network. We try tohave a little of something foreveryone, content that parents canenjoy with their children, and thatgrandma and grandpa can enjoy also.

KW: How would you describe TVOne’s mission?CH: To present a positive and correctrepresentation of who we are andwhat our culture is all about.

KW: I read that you’re feuding withformer BET owner Bob Johnsonover his plans to launch anotherBlack TV network. CH:Afeud doesn’t even exist. It’s alljust hype in the press. Me and Bobhave been hanging out and breakingbread together. He sent Alfred [TVOne Chairman Alfred Liggins] aletter, not me, and Alfred called himup and they had a big laugh. So, thereis no feud.

KW: How do you account for all

your success?CH: I don’t account for it yet. I’m awork in progress. I think manypeople prematurely declarethemselves successful. To me,success is judged on your final day. Ifyou’ve helped more people thenyou’ve hurt, then I think you’ve had asuccessful life.

KW: How would describe TV One’sbusiness approach to televisionstudios and production? CH: I think the wave of the future intelevision will be in outsourcing yourstudio needs. The days of seeing a

BET soundstage that’s basicallysitting empty on New York Avenue inWashington, DC are over because allof that equipment can be taken to thejunkyard since it’s outdated.Nowadays, if you buy something inJanuary, by May it’s obsolete.Technology is moving so rapidly thatit’s not a wise investment at this time—although at some point it may hit aplateau and studios may once againbecome in vogue. The big boys canafford it, but the best approach for asmall operator like us is to outsourceour production to other facilities.

KW: Where do you hope to see TVOne five years from now?CH: Our goal is to have 100 millionhouseholds by then. We’re alreadyhalfway there, which is prettyastonishing in such a short time. Inaddition, we’d like to have someadditional channels like othernetworks. The cable industry did adisservice by having BET as the onlyBlack cable network for 25 years.

KW: Meanwhile, NBC has over adozen channels: NBC, MSNBC,

AESTHETICS

By Kam Williams

http://insightnews.com Insight News • August 24 - August 30, 2009 • Page 5

Media mogul sets sight on 100 million households

askmen.comCathy Hughes 6HUGHES TURN TO

CNBC, Court-TV, AMC MovieClassics, Telemundo, Biography, theHistory Channel, A&E, NationalGeographic, etcetera. And CBS,ABC, Fox and CNN each havemultiple channels, too. CH: That’s exactly the opportunitywe want. It’s time for the cableindustry to change to also allow cableowners of color to have multiplestations comparable to what those

networks have. It’s been documentedby research that Black viewers are thecable industry’s most loyal viewers.Black folks deserve alternatives,options and variety because we arenot a monolithic community.

KW: True. I don’t know if you everheard of St. Albans. I grew up thereback in the Fifties. CH: Absolutely! That was THEcommunity. I have a girlfriend fromthere also.

KW: You had plenty of Blackprofessionals: doctors, lawyers,

bankers, and accountants, as well aspro athletes and entertainers. CH: Yeah, I am very familiar withthat neighborhood. That’s whereJackie Robinson, Count Basie andeverybody lived back in the day.

KW: I have a picture of me withJackie taken by my father when I wasa child. The reason I brought St.Albans up is as an example of anupscale Black community that wouldhave little use for most of BET’sprogramming. As the owner of RadioOne, how do you feel about thefederal legislation, HR 848,proposing to charge radio stations toplay records? CH: I am opposed to it, because itcould put many Black-owned radiostations out of business and forceothers, like ours, to abandon theircommitment to provide free music,

entertainment, news and information.It would force us to stop subsidizinggospel and Black talk. My bill wouldbe roughly a million dollars a month.With that money, I’d rather hire backthe hundreds of employees I’ve hadto lay off lately.

KW: Is there any question no oneever asks you, that you wish someonewould?CH: I’ll have to think about that.That’s a good one. If I come up witha question, can I call your back?

KW: Sure. Teri Emerson would liketo know, when was the last time youhad a good laugh?CH: This past weekend at TimothyDean’s lounge in D.C.

My daughter Alanna camerushing down the stairs andgreeted me with a wide smile,“Mom, I am so excited! I wantto show you what I did to myroom!” Being well acquaintedwith my daughter’s ways, Iknew she had made someimprovements of which she wasproud. She continued, “I haveorganized my closet, taken out

everything that doesn’t fit, andnow I have a big bag of stuffthat that is ready to be donatedto Goodwill.” She alsoexplained that she had savedsome of her nicer items toconsign at nearby Plato’s Closet(a child after my own heart).Not far behind was my youngerdaughter, Arianna, carrying alarge stack of books and asking,“Mom, are we still going tohave a garage sale soon? Theseare the books that I plan to sell,and I’m also going to sell cupsof lemonade! (Also makingmama proud)”

After peeking into both oftheir rooms, I could see thesigns of change. Especiallywith the first day of schoolaround the corner, their goals tobring order to their rooms

couldn’t have come at a bettertime. To be honest, their maingoal was probably to earnmoney for school shopping, butit’s always good to kill twobirds with one stone. I tooktheir plan one step farther, andtalked to them about howmaintaining order in theirrooms would help them to havean orderly and successfulschool year.

While this end-of-summerproject is not fully complete Ihope that you can glean somehelpful strategies from ourfamily’s quest for order.

Free Up Floor SpaceIf you or your kids(s) can barelywalk around the room(s), it’stime for a change! A simpleway to address this is the bysecurely hanging hooks orshelves on the walls (pricesstart at around $10). Now youare able to place books, bookbags, briefcases, toy bags or

purses up and out of the way.Using the rungs of a decorativebamboo ladder or similar itemwill also give you a stylishoption for neatly removingthings off the floor.

Take It UndercoverAn often overlooked storagesolution can be found under thebed. I am not talking aboutchaotically pushing everythingunder there just before guestsarrive! Consider finding awooden or plastic storage box(some also have casters orwheels) and using it for out-of-season clothing or shoes. Theclothes that I buy for the kids–those that are still a bit toobig— go under the bed, and itkeeps their closet frombecoming a clothes jungle.Hanging Over the Door

Another great storage optionis an over-the-door shoeorganizer. Starting at around$15, this handy tool can hold

much more than shoes; scarves,mittens, or hats will fitperfectly and you will not haveto tolerate clutter in places thatit shouldn’t be. In addition,think about shoe hangers thathang from a closet pole. With10 or 12 useful compartments,you get to decide what eachcubby will be used.

Regardless of your level oforganization, there arestrategies that you can employto help your life and the life ofyour family flow moresmoothly. Whether or not yourfall plans include sendingstudents off for another schoolyear, it is a good time to reclaimthe comfort and order of home.I am encouraged by the fact thatfinding order in life is not anall-or-nothing matter and itdoesn’t have to happenovernight. Let’s begin takingsmall manageable steps towardthe journey of creating a homeenvironment which breeds

peace and prosperity. Enjoy!

Marcia Humphrey is an interiordecorator and home stager whospecializes in achieving highstyle at a low cost. A native ofMichigan, she and her husband,Lonnie, have three children.

LIFESTYLESchool’s in session soon, get ready

By Marcia Humphrey

Style on a dime

8HUGHES TURN TO

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com

Page 6 • August 24 - August 30, 2009 • Insight News http://insightnews.com

HughesFrom 5

Earvin “Magic” Johnson tokeynote MBDA’S NationalMinority Enterprise Development(MED) Week Conference

WASHINGTON – On Thursday,August 27, Earvin “Magic”Johnson, Chairman and CEO ofMagic Johnson Enterprises, willgive the keynote address at theMinority Business DevelopmentAgency’s (MBDA) MinorityEnterprise Development (MED)Week Conference held August 26-28 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel inWashington, D.C. David Hinson,MBDA’s National Director, willopen the conference discussingthe future of the agency.Following his remarks, Mr.Johnson will share insights on:developing an entrepreneurialvision and sense of mission;choosing a business that engagespersonal talents and interests;growing a business throughpartnerships and joint ventures;and listening to customers andserving their needs.

MBDA serves minorityentrepreneurs across America whoare building and growingenterprises. The agency helpsminority-owned firms becomebetter equipped to create jobs,impact local economies andcompete successfully in domesticand global marketplaces. With anationwide network of more than

40 business centers and strategicpartners, MBDA assists minorityentrepreneurs and businessowners with consulting services,contract and financingopportunities, bonding andcertification services, buildingbusiness-to-business alliances andexecutive training. For moreinformation about MBDA visitwww.mbda.gov. For moreinformation about MED Weekvisit www.medweek.gov.

Who is really in charge in yourworkplace? While your boss willtake the hardest hit whensomething goes terribly wrong, ifyou are a successfuladministrative assistant, you knowyour leadership skills areinvaluable. Stay organized, sayseasoned administrativeassistants. Delegate, control yourtechnology and be humblebecause your most important taskis making everyone else lookgood. You, in turn, will lookawesome, and your long,successful career will be yourreward.

Trusted administrativeassistants usually have their handsfull, and rarely have the projectmanagement training to supporttheir efforts. The secret tomanaging multipleresponsibilities is twofold: stayorganized, of course, and do nottry to complete every task on yourown. When you catch yourselftrying to cram ten hours of workinto an eight hour day, it’s time tothink about who might beavailable to help you out. A co-worker who seems to chat on herphone all day might be looking formore challenge. Otherdepartments might be better suitedthan your own to run a report orhandle analysis of a spreadsheet.When your boss delegatessomething to you, it means shewants the thing done. It doesn’tnecessarily mean you are the onlyperson who can do it. Clarifyyour plans with your boss. Do not

overpromise, and do stayaccountable for your projects; ifthe person you turn to does notcome through, then it becomesyour fault and your problem. Sostay in touch, and be prepared toreturn the favor when asked.While it might seem easier to doeverything on your own,occasionally sharing tasks cankeep the corporate wheels movingin the right direction.

If you have ever argued withyour boss over, say, a missing fileor a calendar lapse, you know thatstaying organized is prioritynumber one. And the best way todo that? Control your technology.You can recycle all those post-itnotes above your desk if you startusing your programs the way theywere designed.

Take the time to learn everyavailable shortcut. Did you knowthat in an Outlook calendar, you

can type the word “today” in thedate box, and today’s date willpopulate the box? Type“tomorrow” and you get, yes,tomorrow’s date. Reminders aregood if you respond to them. Tasklists are great when you use themconsistently. Perfect yourknowledge of the electronicsearch process so you can find thefile someone else saved to thewrong folder.

Finally, when you find thatlost folder, be humble. Even ifyou know it all and could run theplace single handedly, rememberthat you don’t. Your boss ishuman and has bosses andcustomers leaning on him or her,too.

Please send your career planningquestions toJulie@insightnews.com.

Responsibility without authority: Successfulassistants are leaders behind the scenes

BUSINESS

By Julie Desmondjulie@insightnews.com

Planyour

career

http://insightnews.com Insight News • August 24 - August 30, 2009 • Page 7

Earvin “Magic” Johnson to keynoteMBDA’S National Minority EnterpriseDevelopment (MED) Week Conference

blogs.bet.comEarvin “Magic” Johnson

www.cpsu.org.au

Congress is engaged in anenormously important nationaldebate on health care. But we allknow our health is also shaped indiscussions closer to home—around our kitchen tables and inour communities. So whileAARP is working with thePresident and Congress to make

sure all Americans haveaffordable, quality health care,we’re also working to make sure everyperson has the resources and theinformation to take care of his orher health.

AARP is working on a one-on-one basis to improve healththrough free health screenings andhealth education.

We’ve joined with Walgreenson a two-year Wellness Tourduring which nine customized,

traveling education and health-screening buses will visit 48states, stopping in more than 3,000communities with specialemphasis on diverse andunderserved areas.

Free health screenings, valuedat over $140, are being offered,including: cholesterol - to raiseawareness of high bloodcholesterol as a risk factor forheart disease; blood pressure; bonedensity, which relates to the risk offractures; glucose levels, which

can screen for diabetes and pre-diabetes; and obesity.

You don’t need anappointment or health insurance.And you don’t have to be anAARP member. In fact, byparticipating, you receive a freeone-year AARP membership. Ifyou’re already an AARP memberyou receive a one-yearmembership extension.

In light of the terribledisparities in health care andhealth outcomes, these freescreenings are even moreimportant. Because manydiseases can be detected longbefore symptoms arise, earlydetection is the key to stayinghealthy. However, AfricanAmericans are less likely to havehealth insurance and more likelyto have chronic illness than theoverall US population.

To find out where theAARP/Walgreens Wellness Touris traveling, visitwww.aarpwalgreens.com/tour orcall 1-866-484-TOUR.

We’re emphasizingprevention, and we’re working tohelp people afford the prescriptiondrugs they need to manage chronicdiseases and address other healthconditions. The sharp rise in the

cost of prescription drugs makes itvery difficult for people withlimited incomes to do what is bestfor their health. AARP is workingto close the Medicare Part D“doughnut hole,” the gap wherepeople in Medicare have to pay forall of their prescription drugs.

We’re also helping on a morepersonal level through our newDoughnut Hole calculator, whereyou can see if there are lessexpensive drugs available thatwould save money for you or afamily member in the Medicareprogram.

With the calculator, you put ininformation about the drugs thatyou or a family member takes andthe zip code.

You get a list of similar drugsthat are more affordable, such asgeneric versions just as safe andeffective as the brand-name drug.The calculator shows how thesavings from switching to the lessexpensive drug would prevent ordelay falling into the MedicarePart D doughnut hole. It enablesyou to print a letter to take to yourdoctor showing how much youwould save by taking the lower-cost drug.

To use the doughnut holecalculator, go tohttp://www.aarp.org/doughnuthole

A. Barry Rand is President andCEO of AARP

HEALTH

By A. Barry RandNNPA SpecialCommentary

AARP offers free health screenings and health education

Page 8 • August 24 - August 30, 2009 • Insight News http://insightnews.com

www.cfag.org

KW: The bookworm Troy Johnsonquestion: What was the last book youread? CH: I’m reading a great novel calledThe Help.

KW: The Columbus Short question:Are you happy?CH: Oh, very.

KW: Are you ever afraid? I got thatfrom Tasha Smith?CH: Really? The answer to thequestion is yes, because although I’man entrepreneur, I’m also a performer,since I host a show on TV. I think thattalent who has to go before anaudience is only good if they arescared. I think fear motivates us to bebetter this time than we were last

time. If you don’t have a certain levelof anxiety, I don’t think you can pushyourself to be better.

KW: The music maven HeatherCovington question: What music areyou listening to nowadays? CH: Right now, I’m listening to JeffMajors. He’s a harpist.

KW: The Rudy Lewis question:Who’s at the top of your hero list?CH: My mother Helen’s my shero.She was a very accomplishedmusician, a jazz trombonist with theInternational Sweethearts of Rhythm,who became a nurse and later enteredcollege for the first time in her Fifties.And she got her master’s degree tobecome a social worker. She really,really, really showed all four of herchildren that you could achievewhatever you make up your mind todo. Other then her, my shero would

be Oprah. I think it’s wonderful howOprah uses her resources to betterhumankind.

KW: Well, thanks again Cathy, and Iapologize if I came off as rude forinsisting that I be able to interviewyou, personally, and refused to settlefor one of your assistants about TVOne. CH: Hey, as it is written: “Ask, andye shall receive.” I’m glad you did.I’m honored.

KW: No, the honor was all mine.Thanks. CH: Thank you, bye.

To see a tribute to Cathy Hughes,visit:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo4I_VkzGPc

HughesFrom 6

become known for: Gospel, R&B,Jazz, Spirituals, WorldBeat andmore.

"The 3rd Gift" featuresinspired arrangements of classics,including Marvin Gaye's "God IsLove," Billie Holiday's "GodBless The Child" and an updatedversion of Sounds of Blackness'very own classic "Optimistic."

Sounds of Blackness launchesseveral brand new tracks on "The3rd Gift," including "Everything'sGonna Be Alright," "The Path ofHealing" and "Audacity of Hope(We Are One)," which is inspiredby two of Sounds of Blackness'self-proclaimed fans, PresidentBarack Obama and First LadyMichelle Obama.

Hines joined US Rep. KeithEllison (D-MN) and Prof.Mahmoud El-Kati on last week's11am broadcast of "Conversationswith Al McFarlane" which airsweekly on KFAI-FM90.3. Theprogram included Tom DeWolf, aformer Oregon state countyadministrator who authored thebook, Inheriting the Trade. Thebook chronicles the DeWolffamily members exploring andconfronting the role their ancestorsplayed in Atlantic Slave Trade inthe late 1700's and 1800's. Theconversation provided richanalysis and insight, reflecting that

Hines, El-Kati, DeWolf and I hadall experienced the "Door of NoReturn" when, on differentoccasions, each of us visitedGhana and toured the infamousslave fortresses where centuries ofAfricans were warehoused as theyawaited the journey into bondagein the Americas. In the basementof the fortresses, carved inwestward facing stone walls, the"Door of No Return" opened ontorocky beach trails where Americanslave ships took possession oftheir human cargo.

For his part, Ellison had justreturned from the Sudan, where hewitnessed modern day socialstructures that still devalue anddestroy human life.

You can hear the conversationat kfai.org/archives. What wasmost telling, we all agreed, wasthat we could and should be in thisconversation as the descendants ofthe enslaved and of the enslavers,having a discussion about healing.The Sounds of Blackness titlesunderscored that point time andtime again.

There's no doubt that "The 3rdGift" is destined to become aclassic!

To kick off the release, Soundsof Blackness will perform and signautographs at the Best BuyRotunda located inside the famedMall of America in Bloomington,Minn. The event begins at 6:30p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 25.

organizations and businesses.‘’We had to rely on the

community that’s been relyingon us for so many years to helpbalance our budgets that wecould’ve lost due to cutbacks bysome of our major advertisers,’’Bennett said.

As a result, Bennett said thathis company did not have tomake any staff cuts.

Brenda Andrews-Brooks,publisher of the New Journal andGuide in Norfolk, VA, said thatthe downsized economy didn’treally hurt her company all thatmuch either.

‘’A positive about downsizedeconomy is that it forces you to

think creatively and go back andrely on the community in adifferent kind of way, which isactually the way it should beanyway because that’s the reasonwhy we are in business,’’ shesaid.

As a small communitynewspaper, Andrews-Brooks’limited staff already had theexperience to multi-task. The109-year-old newspaper wasfortunate enough to be able tohold onto all of their advertisers.

‘’We have some loyaladvertisers that have beensupportive,” she said.\

The New Journal and Guiderecently formed a partnershipwith a local gospel radio stationin order to expand their coveragefor their faith community and todo some co-op advertising theiradvertisers can place ads in a

variety of media.Andrews-Brooks’ newspaper

did not have to let anybody go. Iffact, she said she hired a newperson to her staff.

Unfortunately, that wasn’tthe case for every company.

Jim Washington, publisher ofthe Dallas Weekly and presidentand general manager of theAtlanta Voice, was forced tomake more drastic cuts. He laidoff staff at his Atlanta newspaperand cut salaries in Dallas inorder to make ends meet.

‘’The issue was ‘do youmaintain the salary or do you cutpeople?’” Washington said. “Tobe quite frank, I put it to a vote.’’

Al McFarlane, President ofMcFarlane Media and founder ofInsight News in Minneapolis,forecasted the change in theeconomy and made calculated

adjustments.When many of their local

advertisers scaled back their adpurchases, Insight News madetwo key moves. They reducedtheir ad prices and, in somecases, gave more for old prices.They diversified by focusingmore on promotions and creatingalternative revenue streams likeenhancing their website andproducing a weekly radio show.

Amelia Ashley-Ward,publisher of the Sun-ReporterPublishing Company in SanFrancisco, kept her companyafloat by putting out specialedition issues of theirnewspapers. Special editionissues included inauguration,back-to school and Black historythemes.

‘’You can sell more ads andcharge your premium rates

because they are reaching out tospecific markets andcommunity,’’ she said.

Washington leaned on healthand government budgets.

“We’ve seen some up tickthis year,” Washington said.“They have gotten some up tickin health care and governmentalbusiness because those are theonly entities that still have adbudgets. Even though they havealso slashed their budgets theystill have the mandate to spendmoney in order to reach thetaxpayer. So that’s how we’vebeen surviving.’’

The next step for many Blacknewspapers is to transitioneffectively into the digital age.But the process has beenmeasured for some and anuncertainty for others.

“The big change is that we

are reconfiguring how we seeourselves,” McFarlane said.“When we started we sawourselves as a weeklynewspaper. The world ischanging.”

McFarlane added: “So now,we are not only a newspaper.The newspaper is a smaller partof what we do. We have to seeourselves as a 24-7 informationsystem that includes severalplatforms such as socialmarketing networks, the website,the newspaper, radio, videoconferencing. So we have toreconfigure that we are not just anewspaper that only edits andprints on Thursday deadlines buta system that launchesinformation all day, everyday.That’s the difference.”

http://insightnews.com Insight News • August 24 - August 30, 2009 • Page 9

PublishersFrom 1

HinesFrom 1

Keith LangsdorfSounds of Blackness

Page 10 • August 24 - August 30, 2009 • Insight News http://insightnews.com

Send Community Calendarinformation to us by: email,ben@insightnews.com, by fax:612-588-2031, by phone: (612)588-1313 or by mail: 1815 BryantAve. N. Minneapolis, MN 55411,Attn: Ben Williams. Free or lowcost events preferred.

EventsSaint Paul Library ComputerClasses – Aug. 24, 25Beginning Computer #2 (August 20, 7:00 pm-8:30 pm) Microsoft Word #4 (August 24, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm)Microsoft Excel #5 (August 24, 3:30 pm-5:30 pm)Beginning Computer #3 (August 25, 7:00 pm-8:30 pm)Contact: Alison 651-266-7460Alison.bey@ci.stpaul.mn.us At Rondo Community OutreachLibrary at 461 N Dale St., St.Paul.

VOA Park Eldercenter OpenHouse – Aug. 24Mon, 505 Park Ave MinneapolisMN 55404,1pm - 4pm. For

further information, you cancontact Richard Bain atparkcenter@voamn.org or call612-339-7581.

9 Nights of Music: Cyril Pauland Calypso Monarchs – Aug.25Tues,6:30pm-8pm, MinnesotaHistory Center at 345 KelloggBlvd W. St. Paul. Paul andMonarchs bring a taste of the“Carnival” to 9 Nights. If youhave any Questions please call651-259-3000. (Free event)

The Integration Event – Aug. 25Tues, 6pm – 8pm, At theMinneapolis Urban League, 2100Plymouth Avenue North,Minneapolis, Minnesota 55411,for more information call 612-302-3100.

Information session: CLTHomes at Red Oak Preserve –Aug. 25The information session will beheld at the Oakdale DiscoveryCenter at 4444 Hadley Ave N.,. in

Oakdale from 6:00pm to 7:00pm.Children are welcome to attendthe session with their parents.Those interested in attendingshould RSVP to Teresa Howard,at 651-994-9194.

Mahmoud El-Kati presents hisbook The Hiptionary – Aug. 27Thurs, 7:30pm at Magers &Quinn Booksellers, 3038Hennepin Ave South Minneapolis,MN 55408.

The Gathering the MovementForum Returns – Aug. 27Thurs, 6:30 pm, at the PEACEFoundation, 1119 West BroadwayAvenue.

Town Hall Meeting – Aug. 27Thurs, 6:30pm – 8:30pm,MLK/Hallie Q. Brown Center,270 N. Kent St., St. Paul, MN55102, For more information,please contact Nathaniel Khaliq(St. Paul NAACP) 651-649-0520.

The Thrivent Builds Mobile –Aug. 27 through Sept. 7The Thrivent Builds Mobile is amulti-media experience on wheelsthat depicts the nation-wideproblem of substandard housingand is sponsored by ThriventBuilds with Habitat for Humanity.Look for the “big, red truck” onWright Avenue just west of the 4-H building. It’s a free tour withgames and giveaways!www.thriventbuilds.com/mobile.

Washburn Class of ‘79 Pre-Reunion Party – Aug. 287pm til bar close, open to anyonewith an interest in Washburn orthe class of ‘79At the Whiskey Junction, 901Cedar Ave. South, Mpls MN.

Intermedia Arts presents:Mama Said Knock U Out! –Aug. 28-Oct. 23The Gallery Exhibition startsFriday August 28th, 6pm – 9pm,2822 Lyndale Ave. S Minneapolis,MN. For more information pleasecontact Theresa Sweetland, 612-

874-2813.

Rush Hour: Art on over 400 bustransfers – Aug. 29Sat, 7pm – 10pm, at StevensSquare Center for the Arts, 1905Third Avenue South MinneapolisMN, for more information, pleasevisit our website:http://www.stevensarts.org.

Lake Street Calendar EventsAugust 26th & September 16th:MetroIBA Twitter Training8:00 - 9:30 AM, 2324 UniversityAve. S., Suite 120(WomenVenture computer lab)

August 28th: Early Morningswith Elizabeth Glidden7:30 - 9:00 AM, 4762 ChicagoAve. S. (Turtle Bread)

September 13th: MexicanIndependence Day Celebration12:00 - 7:00 PM, 4th & Lake

Uptown MarketSeptember 20th:11:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Lyndale

Ave. & 29th St.

Sample Night Live – Sept. 2Wed, 7pm - 8:15pm, at theHistory Theatre, 30 East 10th St,Saint Paul. If any question pleasecontact Barbe Marshall, (612)201-4000.

The Outpouring YouthConference – Sept. 2-6Shiloh Temple InternationalMinistries, 1201 W. Broadway,Minneapolis MN. For moreInformation and Registration call612-302-1463

Coffee Talk with CouncilMember Elizabeth Glidden –Sept. 3Thurs, 9am at Senior Center Café,310 East 38th St. Minneapolis.Contact the Senior Center at (612)821-2306, Please call if you planon attending.

8th Annual Selby Ave JazzFest –Sept. 12Sat, at the intersection of Selby &Milton Avenues in St. Paul.

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Assumed Name1. State the exact assumed name underwhich the business is or will be conducted: Moon and Dragonfly Book Shoppe

2. State the address of the principal place ofbusiness: 16 Queen Ave. So, Minneapolis,MN 55405

3. List the name and complete street addressof all persons conducting business under theabove Assumed Name: Manuela Georg, 16Queen Ave. So, Minneapolis MN 55405;Helen Schiager, 12701 Heather St. NW CoonRapids MN 55448

4. I certify that I am authorized to sign thiscertificate and I further certify that Iunderstand that by signing this certificate, Iam subject to the penalties of perjury as setforth in Minnesota Statues section 609.48 asif I had signed this certificate under oath.

Signed by: Manuela GeorgDate Filed: 7/31/2009

Insight News 8/17/2009, 8/24/2009

Assumed Name1. State the exact assumed name underwhich the business is or will be conducted: American Value Construction CO

2. State the address of the principal place ofbusiness: 2923 Newton Ave. N, Minneapolis,MN 55411

3. List the name and complete street addressof all persons conducting business under theabove Assumed Name: Stephen PaulNelson, 2923 Newton Ave. N, Minneapolis,MN 55411

4. I certify that I am authorized to sign thiscertificate and I further certify that Iunderstand that by signing this certificate, Iam subject to the penalties of perjury as setforth in Minnesota Statues section 609.48 asif I had signed this certificate under oath.

Signed by: Stephen Paul NelsonDate Filed: 8/04/2009

Insight News 8/17/2009, 8/24/2009

RecruiterBethel Seminary Admissions & Recruitmentseeking individual to be responsible forrecruiting students for Master of Arts inChildren's & Family Ministry (MACFM) programthrough the In-Ministry program distancedelivery system. Represents seminary atrecruiting events, works with potential students,aggressively pursues grassroots networkingwithin both church contexts & children's ministrynetworks; assists in planning and executingevents across the country, specifically targetingchildren's ministry professionals. Requires BAdegree. MA or MDIV strongly preferred. Formore information visit our website at:w w w . b e t h e l . e d u / h u m a n -resources/employment-staff.html

People love stories. Meryl Streep'scharacter (Baroness Karen vonBlixen) was a lovely storyteller in themovie Out of Africa. Musically, JillScott, Kenny Rogers, and Slick Rickare a few well-known storytellers.Somehow, just for a moment, I wishall those storytelling artists wereeither Packers or a Vikings fans, sothey could apply their creative talentto the telling of the story of BrettFavre coming to play for theMinnesota Vikings. If theirexpressions of storytelling turned outas passionate as the Viking fanscelebrating their come-up, orPackers fans stewing in their spicycheese fondue, then they wouldlikely chalk-up 7 Oscar's/MotionPicture Academy Awards like Out ofAfrica did in 1985 (all those awardsshould have gone to The ColorPurple…and yes I'm still mad)

If the Academy Awards wereheld this week, I think it would gosomething like this:

"And the Award for Best Actorin a Dramatic Series…" said Prince,as the crowd tickled the cliffs of theirseats. After an eerie silence Princeshrieked, "Brett Favre! Brett Faavre!Brett Faaaavre!!!" and the crowderupted, Prince broke off into song,and they all followed Favre onInterstate-94 in helicopters andSUVs and stuff, all the way toVikings headquarters in EdenPrairie.

This is the madness that seemedto be taking place when Vikingsowner Zygi Wilf's private jet landedin St. Paul with helicopters andzealots hovering about, to soak upFavre's first steps onto Minnesotasoil as an ally. And then Iremembered why some people don'tlike sports.

I love sports, but dislikeshenanigans, and support pomp andcircumstance only in deservinglyregal situations. Brett Favre has beenweaving an intricate story for themajority of this decade, and the plotcenters on the drama of his loomingretirement. We fans don't like to seethe great ones leave their sport,though that time inevitably comes.The actual athlete handles theretirement progression even worse,often resulting in a childish game ofpeek-a-boo, or invoking fear like a

parent telling a child that they'regoing to leave the child in thegrocery store by themselves: "NooooDaaddy don't gooo!!"

But I think that we all must giveprops where props are due, becauseno athlete has done it better than thegood ole country boy himself, BrettFarve. Country boys can be some ofthe smoothest slicksters the worldhas ever seen (also see Bill Clinton),and they sure know how tocommand a camera with the best of'em. I mean the private jet helicopterstuff was at lunchtime, and the pressconference was set for as soon aspeople got off work. Give the PRpeople a round of applause. The bestpart was how there was so muchbuild up to Favre making a decision(hundreds of times since last seasonit seems) by the end of July, claimingretirement…again, and then burstingback on the scene with extremeperspicacity for good timing. Somany factors looming, and sooomany gut wrenching, curled in a ball,agonizing hours going back andforth over whether to come playsome football for $25 million dollars.How can you not feel for the man?

See the country boys know thatat the end of the day, their good olecountry boy charm can arrest eventhe most fierce of enemies (also seeBill Clinton hostage negotiations).I've fought being a Brett Favre fan

for a long time (mostly because thePackers' uniforms are simplyatrocious), because I think otherhistoric quarterbacks have shownmore overall poise. But I tell youwhat, flashy Hall of Famequarterback Broadway Joe Namathhimself is the only player who thusfar surpasses Brett Favre's ability togenerate some theatre; and that'sonly because he was in New Yorkand sported full-length fur coats.

Other than all the theatricalmadness, Favre playing with AdrianPeterson and the bunch should beworth the price of admission as far asfootball goes. I'll warn you that lasttime the Superbowl was in Miamithe Vikings went 15-1 and didn'tmake it to the Superbowl. Insupport, I'll say that Favre has won aSuperbowl before so who knows.

But of course there could only beone person who could summarizethe recent and future theatre of BrettFavre playing at the end of his careerwith the Minnesota Vikings: CharlieBrown. Thus in summary all I cansay is, "Good Grief!" But it does allsomehow qualify as can't misstheatre. If somehow a photo ofFavre and Prince together, chillin infull-length fur coats and posing likeRun DMC surfaces, I'm packing mystuff…theatre or not.

And the award for Best Actor in a Dramatic Series…By Ryan T. Scottryan@insightnews.com

http://insightnews.com Insight News • August 24 - August 30, 2009 • Page 11

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